The Amazon App Is Suggesting Products From Other Stores, Because Reasons

Amazon is apparently unhappy with simply being the face of e-commerce, so it's experimenting with a new approach: directing shoppers to competitor websites. The company is beta testing a feature within its mobile app that displays products it doesn't sell. Clicking these listings takes users outside the Amazon app to the brand's website for direct purchase.

Amazon confirmed the beta test in a blog post, showcasing a GIF that illustrates the new functionality. Products from other brands will be grouped under a "Shop brand sites directly" banner, displaying images and prices. A warning message appears before redirecting users to the external website.

Interestingly, Amazon Prime members might still benefit from Prime shipping and returns, provided the external retailer participates in the Buy with Prime program.

The rationale behind this seemingly counterintuitive move—sending customers to competitors—remains unclear. While Amazon states it's purely experimental and generates no affiliate revenue, it's likely a strategic play to rival Google Shopping.

Google Shopping currently provides numerous purchase links from various retailers, often including price comparisons and reviews. This allows shoppers to bypass Amazon altogether, potentially finding better deals elsewhere.

By incorporating links to competing stores, Amazon transforms its platform from a simple e-commerce site into a comprehensive shopping search engine. This strategy aims to keep shoppers within the Amazon ecosystem, even if it means sharing some potential revenue. It's similar to a theme park restaurant—even if they share revenue with an outside vendor, they retain customer presence within their overall environment.

However, this change may confuse some users about where they're purchasing. While warnings are included, the rollout appears somewhat haphazard; there's no option to opt in or out of the beta. Amazon notes the feature is currently live for a limited number of US customers on iOS and Android, with broader US availability planned. For now, desktop users can avoid this change by sticking to the browser version of the site.

Update 2/13: This post has been updated to include a statement from Amazon.

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